“I want a meeting with all my lieutenants and soldiers before Christmas eve,” I say in greeting when he answers.“Make sure Broderick is there.”
I want this taken care of before Christmas, but I also want to give my fiancée time to settle into her new life.
“On it, boss.”He hangs up, and I know he’ll do his job.
I turn to Jordon.“You’ll be there to make sure everyone falls in line or is eliminated.I want you on Broderick too.As soon as we get confirmation that Eireen is in New Mexico and safe, I want him dead for his lies.”
“I can do that.”
“Unless I kill him myself for calling my fiancée a bastard.”
“He sealed his fate, not only with you, but with Belyaev or Sokolov.Fuck, that man is getting to be troublesome.”
“I don’t understand what he has to gain from all this.”
“Paddy, you’re too close to the situation.Step back and look at the bigger picture.He was upset with your father and grandfather for not giving him my mother.What if that was the catalyst to everything and he’s the rat?I’ve been looking into it for a few days now.”
“What have you found?”
Now that he brings this up, I’m starting to see things.But it can’t be all based on jealousy.Why didn’t he stop when my father was dead?There is more here, and I’m missing it.
I clear my mind and focus as Jordon goes over everything he’s found.
“What if your mom was an accident?What if she wasn’t supposed to die?Your father was supposed to be in that car that day, not her.I’ve been looking into both of your parents’ murders.I’m also looking into medical records for Aunt Eireen.She had no mental health struggles before she supposedly tried to commit suicide after your mother’s death.Yes, they were best friends.But from a journal entry I found in an old box of things in the attic, Eireen and Rowanne swore to take care of each other’s children if anything ever happened to them.It was the same pact they also had with my mom.”
Him just saying my mom’s name hurts.But it has me thinking about it.She was heading to a restaurant to meet my father for dinner.He had a meeting and took a car service earlier in the day.She was in his car.Bullets riddled the vehicle before it crashed into a ravine.
I think of who a hired gun was back then, and it hits me.
“Jordon, make an appointment with Bronwyn.I need to know who would be hired for a hit if he didn’t take it.”I pull up in front of the auditorium.Some of the dancers are in the entry, milling about.
“I can do that.Right now?”
“Yeah, I don’t need you sitting with me.”
Just as I say that, I see movement behind us, and a masked man with a gun appears.
“Hit the floor,” I bark.
But Jordon opens his door as bullets hit the back of the SUV.I hear a single gunshot, then silence.I sit there for a moment with my gun in my hand.Slowly, I open my door.When no shots are fired, I move to the back of the car.There stands Jordon over a man who is bleeding from a single shot between his eyes.
“It’s my job to protect you.”
“What the fuck?You could have been shot.”
“Nope.He was focused on you.I saw him in the side mirror.He was watching you.I was ready when you said hit the floor.Told you, I’m here to protect you.This was a hit on you.”
People rush out of the building, and my girl runs right at me.
“Patrick, are you okay?”she yells as she throws herself at me.
I catch her and hold her to my body.I look over her shoulder to see Hayes standing there.
“I’m sorry I took your brother’s advice.He told me to keep you separated from my family until we found out who the rat is.”
“I know.I love you.I’m so sorry I ran.”
“Yeah, don’t do that again, okay?”I kiss her deep until Jordon clears his throat.
